She shook her head, almost pensively. "I don't want you to bring any more trouble into the family than you've already brought, and goodness knows THAT would be doing it. But I shouldn't have said that, Kenny. There are lots of fine, lovely girls here. I wouldn't know which one to pick out for you if you were to ask me to do your choosing." "I will leave it entirely in your hands," said he, grinning boyishly. "Pick me out a nice, amiable, rather docile young lady,--some one who will come the nearest to being a perfect sister-in-law, and I will begin sparking her at once. By the way, I hope matters are going more smoothly for you and Barry." Her face clouded. She shot a suspicious, questioning look at him. "I--I want to talk to you about Barry some day," she said seriously. "You seemed to resent it most bitterly the last time I attempted to talk to you about him," said he, somewhat pointedly. "You were horrid that day," said she. "I have a good deal to forgive. You said some very mean, nasty things to me that day over there," indicating the thicket with a jerk of her head. "I am glad to see that you took them to heart and have profited," he ventured boldly. She hesitated, and then spoke with a frankness that shamed him. "Yes, I did take them to heart, Kenny. I will not say that I have profited, but I'll never make the same kind of a fool of myself again. I hated you with all my soul that day,--and for a long time afterward,--but I guess you took the right way with me, after all. If I was fair and square, I would say that I am grateful to you. But, you see, I am not fair and square. I am as stubborn as a mule." "The best thing about a mule is that he takes his whalings without complaining." She sighed. "I often wonder what a mule thinks about when he stands there without budging while some angry, infuriated man beats him until his arm gets tired." "That's very simple. He just goes on thinking what a fool the man is for licking a mule." "Good! I hope you will remember that the next time you try to reason with me." "What is it you want to say to me about Barry?" he asked, abruptly. "Oh, there is plenty of time for that," she replied, frowning. "It will keep. How are you getting along with the house?" "Splendidly. It was in very good order. I will be settled in a day or two and as comfortable as anything. To-night Zachariah and I are going to make a list of everything we need and to-morrow I shall start out on a purchasing tour. I intend to buy quite a lot of new furniture, things for the kitchen, carpets and--" Viola interrupted him with an exclamation. Her eyes were shining, sparkling with eagerness. "Oh, won't you take me along with you? Mr. Hanna has just received a wonderful lot of things from down the river, and at Benbridge & Foster's they have a new stock of--"